Great Falls is Montana’s gateway to a better life. Paradise doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg (or your sanity). What if we told you you could switch out your hour-long commute and pricey apartment with a pre-happy hour evening tube along the Missouri River before heading back to your house on a nice plot of Montana land? Before you think we’re exaggerating, we’re not. The average commute time for a Great Falls resident is 13 minutes(including time to stop for coffee). We’ll let that sink in. With a median home value of about $200,000, Great Falls’ housing costs are half of what you’ll pay in most other Montana cities, making it the ideal place for young professionals and families to call home– or those who are just looking to make their dollar stretch a little further. We were even named one of the “Most Budget-Friendly Cities for Homeowners” in 2020.

And while we don’t have the congestion or hassle of a huge metro, you’ll find that you still have easy access to top tier activities without breaking the bank from season ski passes at Showdown to season tickets box seats to see the Great Falls Voyagers MLB team hit a home run.

Whether you’re looking to find your new position at an established company or have dreams of paving your own way as an entrepreneur, Great Falls is where you can make a real difference with your career. Our market is growing and ripe with opportunity, but not so saturated that you can’t advance and make your mark. Leading companies such as, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cargill, Centene, major financial firm D.A. Davidson Companies plus a thriving architecture, engineering, design and construction scene.

Bio-processing, food production and ag are also major drivers behind Great Falls’ economy. Great Falls is the epicenter of the Golden Triangle – a particularly prosperous area that produces barley, meat, oilseed, pulse crops and more wheat than most regions in the country.

People from New York to the Bay Area have relocated to Great Falls to launch their dream business. Know that if you take the leap to start your own business here, you won’t have to do it alone and there is minimal risk compared to other markets. Great Falls offers access to capitalplus the tools and programs in place specifically designed to help you start your dream business. The Great Falls Development Authority is your personal Mark Cuban if you’re an entrepreneur or small business owners. We’ll guide you through the process of small business loans, government contracting and even free one-on-one business coaching. Great Falls is so supportive of small businesses, don’t be surprised if you find yourself growing your idea into a national operation or owning two businesses (move here to open your law practice, and stay to run a coffee shop on the side–true story).

You don’t have to be a cowboy to enjoy the Montana terrain– far from it, actually. There is no shortage of hiking, camping, ATV riding, off roading, snowboarding and skiing. Runners and cyclists will find miles and miles of trails to explore (might we recommend the 60-mileRiver’s Edge Trail that runs right along the Missouri River through town? Mountain bikers have called it “the finest recreational trail network in the Northwest.” The river also makes Great Falls a boaters paradise for canoeing, water sports, as well as fly fishing. Not to mention you have 57 Great Falls parks if you’re in the mood for a picturesque picnic and frisbee session.

And those are just the local options here in the city – if you’re up for a little drive, Bob Marshall Wilderness is at your front door and in our backyard you’ll find Sluice Boxes State Park. You’re halfway between Glacier and Yellowstono national parks. Great Falls’ wilderness is for the explorer in each of us – the very same wilderness that was explored on the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800s.

If you haven’t found your people yet– that close-knit community– we guarantee you’ll find it in Great Falls. We help one another, cheer each other on, and are always up for showing newcomers the best brew or trail in town. An idyllic place to plant roots and raise a family, Great Falls has an excellent public school system (the second largest school district in Montana) with 15 neighborhood elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools -plus private and faith-based schools, including one of the top 5 rated private high schools in the state. The Great Falls Public Schools music department was even selected as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education.”

If you’re a sports family, you’re in luck. Many statewide tournaments from basketball to golf conveniently take place right here in Great Falls, and we even have adult rec leagues to let your inner athlete shine (we’re competitive, but it’s all in good fun).

Great Falls has a top tier healthcare system, keeping us safe, healthy and primed for adventure. Nationally-ranked Benefis Health System includes the Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute, Heart and Vascular Institute, Orthopedic Center of Montana, and the state-of-the art Women’s and Children’s Center (slated to open 2021).Great Falls Clinic is the fourth oldest medical clinic west of the Mississippi, serving hundreds of thousands of Montanans, and Alluvion Health is also readily accessible and has brought School-Based Health Centers to Great Falls Public Schools.

*National Association of Music Merchants Foundation 2020

Surround yourself with people who aren’t afraid to let their inner artist, creativity and quirkiness shine in Great Falls. Art is the lifeblood of Great Falls, and residents are creating art at almost every turn in the form of murals and Downtown Art Walk or dance performers at outdoor events. If you have the itch to perform – Great Falls is your stage.

Visit the C.M. Russell Museum to browse exquisite art from the American West, or The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art which features contemporary exhibitions and offers art classes for all ages. And there’s no shortage of live music to hear on any given day, from the renowned Great Falls Symphony to a more relaxed vibe at The Do Bar.

For your date nights, happy hours and weekends strolling through downtown, we’ve got the hook-up when it comes to food and drink. The best restaurants you’ll find here? They’re not chains, and we’re pretty proud of that. Where a local, authentic atmosphere meets downright tasty eats, places like Roadhouse Diner (Food Network-Winning Chef), Mighty Mo Brewing Company and Celtic Cowboy are a must (did you know Irish Nachos were a thing?). After-hours, mosey on down to Enbär, a locally owned craft cocktail lounge, for a mean old fashioned try historic City Bar Lounge-Casino for a nightcap.